Writer, Facilitator, Creative Catalyst

Askival

My first novel, A House Called Askival, was published byFreight Books, in June 2014. Set in north India and spanning 70 years of recent history through the lives of one family, it is ultimately the story of a rebel daughter and her father who need reconciliation before he dies.

Endorsements:

“Askival is just what the best historical fiction should be: the individual story from the heart of great events. She does it with humour, compassion, and an acute sense of moral drama. Excellent.” Jonathan Falla, author of The Craft of Fiction

“Glover understands houses are never just houses. Askival will break your heart.” Cynthia Rogerson, author of I Love You, Goodbye

“It is so very good – the writing, the characterisation, the thematic concerns and the impressively subtle management of a complex structure. I also found it very moving.” Sara Maitland, author of The Book of Silence and Gossip from the Forest

Reviews & Features:

‘In light of what is happening on the world stage today, A House Called Askival is a book which demands our engagement.’ Wasafiri Read the full review here.

‘The central themes — about love, parental influence, hidden secrets, loyalty, and the importance of faith — produce a gripping storyline. And Askival, the backdrop for Ruth’s heartbreak and redemption, is where all deception is stripped aside, and the true cost of sectarianism is exposed.’ Church Times Read the full review here.

‘addresses the political and personal turmoil of religious conflict. Spanning the partition to the present day, it looks at historical events through the lens of three generations of one expat family and tells the story of a father and daughter seeking peace with each other and with their past.’ Daily Telegraph Read the full piece here

‘It wrestles with battles for independence both personal and national, and with the shocking fallout, in families and in countries, that ensue wherever power struggles take place. I was transported to the monsoons of Mussoorie, a hill station in the Northern State of Uttarakhand… Glover gives us an epic and raging sweep of history through many eyes, for there are no victors. The road to independence and its aftermath is indeed a bloody and complex process’ Northwords Now Read the full review on Page 20 here.

‘History is blended into the narrative to add to the overall understanding – what Partition meant for millions of people and how the conflict between religions flared up and caused so much strife between peoples. And it is a story about family, about rejection and loyalty and so much more.’ Trip Fiction Read the full review here.

‘Merryn Glover is quite simply a wonderful writer; honest, perceptive, with humour, a zest for life and a love for people and nature. She knows how to keep her readers turning the pages. At times she writes like an angel.’ Complicated Evangelical Read the full review here.

‘One of the big themes of Askival is relationships across religious (and cultural) boundaries and the need for a deep understanding of one another in order to find peace.’ Asian Image Read the full piece here.

‘If India interests you in anyway I recommend this book. The imagery created by Glover is exquisite and the book has a lot to offer.’ The Literary Snob Read the full review here.

‘There are authors like Jhumpa Lahiri, Amitava Ghosh, Salman Rushdie, Neel Mukherjee, Kiran Desai, etc, who have brought alive this country… I would gladly put Merryn Glover’s name on the same list of authors who could represent India so vividly with it’s colors, scent and culture along with the history.’ Bookstop Corner Read the full review here.

‘The star of it really is India – its sights, sounds and smells, and turbulent history from Partition to the death of Indira Gandhi.’ Our Book Reviews Online Read the full review here.

‘Anyone who has made a home in another country and culture will relate to the novel’s exploration of being a stranger in a strange land and yet falling in love with it and being forever marked by it. Asian Books Blog Read the full interview here.

Facebook News

Still brimming over after an amazing weekend at the #ScotsWrite conference organised by our Society of Authors in Scotland committee. We had keynote talks from Joanne Harris, Jane Johnson, Charlie Higson and Joanna Penn of The Creative Penn and an amazing line up of other speakers and sessions covering every discipline from sci-fi to poetry, graphic novels to translation and every aspect of the writer's life from mental health to legal protections. Such a privilege to be part of the dynamic organising team and such a joy to see it all come together. ...

How many cookbooks would include Cowboy Pineapple Cookies, Tibetan Momos, Liver Croquettes and Guava Cheese? I know of one. And how many novels include a cookbook? I know of three that include the very same one. Read all about it... ...

Another brilliant day in Edinburgh. Show by Annie George at Scottish Storytelling Centre, 'Home is Not the Place' about her Kerala poet grandfather; hugely entertaining talk by William Dalrymple at Edinburgh International Book Festival about the Koh-i-noor diamond; and finishing with hilarious stand-up comedy from Sindhu Vee, my long-time-ago school chum. Love Festival season! ...

A very interesting interview with author Stephen Alter who lives and works in the Indian hill-station of Mussoorie, where Askival is set. Steve's memoir, All the Way to Heaven, was a significant source for me, as were the recollections of his late father, Rev Bob Alter. His home, shown in this video, is one of the best preserved colonial bungalows in Mussoorie. ...